In the ever-evolving landscape of SMEs, fund sufficiency continues to pose a significant challenge, especially in emerging markets. Acknowledging this issue, 917Ventures’s loan aggregator, FundSpace, has emerged as a vital digital solution, providing SMEs and local entrepreneurs in the Philippines with a user-friendly platform to bridge the financing gap.
Martin Luchangco, entrepreneur-in-residence at 917Ventures, highlighted the crucial role of SMEs, contributing 40% to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing 63% of the local workforce.
Despite these substantial contributions, many SMEs face underfunding, hindering both their individual growth and the overall economic development.
Designed to cater to enterprises of all sizes, FundSpace ensures seamless access to funding for business growth and sustainability.
The platform connects borrowers with various lending partners through a mobile-friendly platform, offering different loan products.
With a quick 14-day loan approval timeline, FundSpace stands out from traditional banks, where the typical timeline is 60 days.
Teaming up with lenders such as Alon Capital, iGlobal, Mt Fuji Lending, BPI Business Banking, First Circle, Zenith Capital, and Esquire, FundSpace offers loans ranging from P5,000 to upwards of P100 million.
Data from the United Nations Development Program revealed that over half of Philippine SMEs (67%) face funding challenges. Many entrepreneurs resort to personal savings or loans from family and friends due to the tedious processes, extensive documentation, rigid collateral requirements, and high-interest rates imposed by banks and financial institutions.
FundSpace addresses these challenges by simplifying the borrowing process, facilitating loans for businesses in various sectors, including retail, construction, food and beverage, services, and software industries.
Moving forward, FundSpace plans to launch a credit scoring feature later in the year. This feature aims to streamline the application process by reducing required documentation, enabling quicker assessments for lenders and delivering higher-quality leads.
Martin Luchangco said, “Empowering SMEs with easy financial solutions is both an investment in their growth and in fostering economic resilience.
“By removing financial barriers for these enterprises, we are contributing not only to their success but also to the sustainable development of communities and the Philippine economy.”
To learn more about FundSpace, visit fundspace.ph.